TY  - JOUR
T1  - Root system plasticity enhances phosphorus acquisition  in sorghum for a low-input farming system
AU  - Nyongesa, Benson
PY  - 2025
DA  - November
Y2  - 2025
JF  - International Journal of Agriculture Forestry and Life Sciences
JO  - Int J Agric For Life Sci
PB  - Volkan OKATAN
WT  - DergiPark
SN  - 2602-4381
SP  - 65
EP  - 72
VL  - 9
IS  - 2
LA  - en
AB  - Phosphorus (P) deficiency remains a significant constraint to sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) productivity, particularly in smallholder farming systems with limited access to fertilizers. This study aimed to evaluate root system architecture (RSA) plasticity among improved sorghum varieties under contrasting P conditions to identify varieties with superior P-foraging traits for low-input systems. Eight sorghum varieties were grown under low (5.38 mg/kg) and high (50 mg/kg) P levels, and their root traits were characterized using high-resolution imaging and RhizoVision analysis. Six RSA traits: total root length (TRL), number of root tips (NRT), branching points (NBP), surface area (SA), root diameter (AD), and root volume (RV), were analyzed in this study. Analysis of variance revealed significant variety (V), Phosphorus (P), and V × P interaction effects (p  < 0.001) for all traits. Under low P, varieties showed enhanced RSA expression: TRL increased by 58%, NRT by 142%, NBP by 210%, SA by 89%, and RV by 133%, while AD declined by 32%, indicating strategic carbon investment in absorptive roots. Notably, KARI Mtama 1 exhibited constitutive robustness, while T30b demonstrated exceptional plasticity. TRL, SA, NA, NRT, and RV had over 74% of heritability, demonstrating strong genetic control. These findings underline RSA plasticity as a key adaptive strategy for nutrient acquisition, providing valuable breeding targets for P-efficient cultivars. Integrating these traits into breeding programs can enhance P-use efficiency, with KARI Mtama 1 and T30b serving as donor parents for developing elite sorghum lines suited to low P conditions.
KW  - Low-input agriculture
KW  - Phenotypic plasticity
KW  - Phosphorus deficiency
KW  - Root system architecture
KW  - Sorghum
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UR  - https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/ijafls/issue//1747282
L1  - https://dergipark.org.tr/en/download/article-file/5075208
ER  -